CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.5 Conceptual Research Framework
A mixed research methodology was employed to study customer experience management and build up the customer experience model in the Thai full-service restaurant. Both qualitative and quantitative methods compensated for the weak points of each method. The quantitative method can generalize a research finding when repeated with many different populations and subpopulations, while the detail and explanation can be examined through the qualitative method. In the quantitative method, the variables are independent and dependent; the qualitative method employs semi-structured interviews to find more qualitative data according to the objective.
Independent variables consist of the customer’s perception on efficiency of customer experience touchpoints to find out the efficiency of customer experience touchpoint and to examine the overall customer experience that orchestrate along the customer journey on the customer's satisfaction using the consumption emotion as the mediating factor.
Moreover, to the purpose of the customer experience management model in Thai full-service restaurants, the researcher also examined the efficiency of the customer experience management at Thai full-service restaurants through the qualitative approach to examine the further detail from both tourist and restaurateur perspective. All the gathered information from international tourists and restaurateurs was analyzed and constructed to be a customer experience management model in Thai full-service restaurants, as shown in the figure in (Westbrook & Oliver, 1991).
Figure 3.1 Conceptual Research Framework
Table 3.5 Overview of Research Methodologies and Relevance to Research Objective
Objective Research
Method Population Sample Size
Sampling Technique
Research Tool
Data Analysis 1. To identify
the tourist behavior in Thai full- service restaurant
Quantitative Analysis
International Tourist who is traveling in Bangkok
400 Purposive Sampling
Questionnaire Descriptive Statistic
2.To evaluate the efficiency of customer’s experience along customer journey in Thai full- service
Quantitative Analysis
International Tourist who is traveling in Bangkok
400 Purposive Sampling
Questionnaire Descriptive Statistic and Inferential Statistic
Qualitative Analysis
International Tourist who
30 Purposive Sampling
Semi- structure
Content Analysis
Objective Research
Method Population Sample Size
Sampling Technique
Research Tool
Data Analysis is traveling
in Bangkok
Interview
Qualitative Analysis
Thai Full- service restaurateur in Bangkok
10 Purposive Sampling
Semi structure Interview
Content Analysis
3.To examine the influence of overall customer experience on the customer satisfaction
Quantitative Analysis
International Tourist who is traveling in Bangkok
400 Purposive Sampling and
Questionnaire Structure Equation Model
4. To purpose the customer experience model in Thai full-service restaurant
Qualitative Analysis
Thai Full- service restaurateur in Bangkok
10 Purposive Sampling
Semi structure Interview
Content Analysis
DATA ANALYSIS
This chapter presents the study's findings, together with a discussion according to the study's research objective. The survey result can identify the component of the customer experience in a full-service restaurant in Bangkok. The result of the survey is described in both parts of the quantitative and qualitative research methods. The finding has divided into four parts.
4.1 Descriptive results
4.1.1 Quantitative descriptive results 4.1.2 Qualitative descriptive results
4.1.3 Descriptive statistic results from the tourist’s behavior in Thai full- service restaurant
4.1.4 Descriptive statistic result on essential levels of experience touchpoint along the customer journey
4.1.5 Descriptive statistic on efficiency levels of experience touchpoint along the customer journey
4.1.6 Descriptive statistic on the customer’s consumption emotion 4.1.7 Descriptive statistic on the customer satisfaction
4.2 Tourist Behavior of in Thai full-service restaurant (Objective 1)
4.3 The efficiency of customer experience touchpoints through the customer journey in Thai full-service restaurant (Objective 2)
4.4 The influence of overall customer experience on customer satisfaction (Objective 3)
4.1 Descriptive Results……….
4.1.1 Quantitative Descriptive Results
Four hundred sets of questionnaires were distributed to respondents who had experienced in Thai full-service restaurants. The result of the descriptive statistics is related to demographic profile and consumer behavior.
Table 4.1 Respondent’s Detail of Demographic Profile
Type of Demographic Profile Frequency Percentage (%) Gender
Male 184 46
Female 216 54
Country of Origin (by continent)
ASIA 155 38.75
Western Europe 129 32.25
North America 71 17.75
Eastern Europe 21 5.25
Africa 17 4.25
Australia 5 1.25
Middle east 2 0.50
Age
Lower than 20 – 20-year-old 35 8.80
21-30-year-old 164 41.00
31-40-year-old 120 30.00
41-50-year-old 45 11.20
51-60-year-old 24 6.00
61-70-year-old 9 2.20
71-year-old and over 3 0.80
Education level
Graduate Level 225 56.30
Undergraduate level 152 38.00
Below undergraduate level 23 5.70
Type of Demographic Profile Frequency Percentage (%) Occupation
Civil servant 59 14.80
students 85 21.20
Business Owner 74 18.50
Employee 145 36.20
Retired 18 4.50
other 19 4.80
According to table 4.1, respondents were 184 males, and 216 females accounted for 46% and 54%, respectively. The majority group originally were from Asia, followed by America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Middle East accounted for 38.75%, 32.25%, 17.75%, 5.25%, 4.25%, 1.25% and 0.5% respectively. These four hundred respondents had education mostly at the graduate level accounted for 56.30%, followed by an undergraduate degree for 38 % and below the undergraduate level, representing 5.8%.
Four hundred respondents, mostly were employees, accounted for 36.30%, followed by students and business owners accounted for 21.30% and 18.50%. The other respondents were a civil servant for 14.8%, retired for 4.5%, and other careers for 4.8%.
4.1.2 Qualitative Descriptive Result
As mentioned in this study's research design, the qualitative methods were also used as a part of the mixed research methodology. Therefore, the process of collecting data used the semi-structured interview with two groups of respondents.
1) International Tourist who had visited Thai full-service restaurant 2) The restaurateur who designed and managed the customer experience in a Thai full-service restaurant. This group referred to the owner, restaurant manager and head of staff
This semi-structured interview was conducted to obtain the detail of efficiency in managing customer experience touchpoints along their customer journey in a Thai full-service restaurant. The semi-structured interview sample was 30 key informants
of international tourists and ten key informants for the restaurateur. The detail as per the Table. 4.2 and Table 4.3
Table 4.2 Profile of Key Informant (Tourist)
Informant (s) Gender Age Country of Origin
1 Male 62 Netherlands
2 Female 60 Netherlands
3 Male 25 Korea
4 Male 24 Taiwanese
5 Female 25 Chinese
6 Female 21 Chinese
7 Male 32 American
8 Female 32 American
9 Female 23 Japanese
10 Male 21 Japanese
11 Male 24 Japanese
12 Female 57 Indonesian
13 Female 28 Indonesian
14 Male 25 Indonesian
15 Male 25 Indonesian
16 Male 21 France
17 Male 21 France
18 Male 22 France
19 Female 21 France
20 Male 29 Italy
21 Male 52 Germany
22 Male 24 Korea
23 Female 26 Korea
24 Male 29 Spain
25 Male 27 Spain
26 Male 52 Philippine
Informant (s) Gender Age Country of Origin
27 Female 50 Netherlands
28 Male 52 Netherlands
29 Female 30 Japanese
30 Female 29 Japanese
From the detail in table 4.2, it can be concluded that the majority of the respondent was male for 18 persons and female for 12 persons. They came from different countries of origin, such as Japan, China, Korea, France, Netherlands. The majority of age is around 20-30 years old. All the respondents had visited Thai full- service restaurants. Table 4.3 shows ten key informants from the restaurants around the Bangkok area, as appear in the study unit. The majority of them are the restaurant manager or the restaurant owner so that they can express the current practice of customer experience management in Thai full-service restaurants.
Table 4.3 Profile of Key Informant (Restaurateur)
Informant Gender Location of Restaurant Position
1 Female Ta Chang, Bangkok Owner
2 Female Ta Tien, Bangkok Restaurant manager
3 Male Lumpinee, Bangkok Head of staff
4 Male Asiatique, Bangkok Restaurant manager
5 Female Satorn, Bangkok Restaurant manager
6 Female Silom Bangkok Restaurant manager
7 Male Wat Rakung, Bangkok Restaurant manager
8 Female Phranakorn district,
Bangkok
Owner
9 Female Ta Tien, Bangkok Restaurant manager
10 Male Ta Tien, Bangkok Restaurant manager
4.1.3 Descriptive Statistic Result of Tourist Behavior at Thai Full-service The result of descriptive statistics based on tourist behaviors at Thai full- service restaurant was reported by the purpose of visiting Thailand, group size, meal plan, accompanying people, access to the information, influence factor, motivation factor post-purchase action, spending per one meal, and communication channel.
1) Purpose of visiting Thailand
According to table 4.4, these 400 respondents visited Thailand for various of purposes. Most were in Thailand with intending to have a vacation, accounted for 56 %, followed by the tourists who were visiting Thailand for the business trip (12.75%), education trip (11.75%), visiting friend and relative (11.50%) and other reason accounted for 3.75%.
Table 4.4 Frequency and Percentage of Purpose of Visiting Thailand
Purpose of Visiting Thailand Frequency Percentage
Business trip 51 12.75
Religion 17 4.35
Vacation 224 56.00
Education 47 11.75
Vising Friend and relative 46 11.50
Other 15 3.75
Total 400 100
2) Group size and meal companion
According to the table 4.5, from the survey, the report revealed that customers had a meal at a Thai full-service restaurant in a small group of 3-5 people or the couple, represented 42.80% of the total,
According to table 4.6 followed by the couple, which described 36%.
The least number was the big group of more than ten people accounted for 2.20%.
Additionally, most of these respondents were friends, accounted for 30%, followed by the couple for 26.50% and family for 22.75%, respectively. Around 11% of respondents have a a meal alone.
Table 4.5 Frequency and Percentage of Group Size
Table 4.6 Frequency and Percentage of Meal Companion
3) Meal pattern
The survey result revealed that tourists ordered a meal in 3 different patterns: a set menu, a la carte, and a single dish menu. According to table 4.7, tourists ordered a meal in the A la carte menu and single dish menu at the same level for 34.25% of the total and ordered the set menu for 30.25%. Lastly, some of the tourists ordered the snack for 1.25%.
Group Size Frequency Percentage
One person 44 11
Two-person 144 36
3-5 person 171 42.80
6-10 person 32 8
More than ten people in the group 9 2.20
Total 400 100
Meal Companion Frequency Percentage
Friend 120 30.00
Client 11 2.75
Couple 106 26.50
Family 91 22.75
Business Partner 23 5.75
Alone 44 11.00
Other 5 1.25
Total 400 100
Table 4.7 Frequency and Percentage of Meal Pattern
Meal Pattern Frequency Percentage
Set Menu 121 30.25
A la carte 137 34.25
Single dish menu 137 34.25
Other - Snack 5 1.25
Total 400 100
4) Channel of information
Tourists can find information about Thai full-service restaurants through many channels such as from friends, guidebooks, and smartphone applications. According to table 4.8, the report indicated that customers could find information about Thai full-service restaurants from a friend, account for 35.25%, followed by Website and smartphone application for 13.75% and 11.5%, respectively.
Online media seem to be more popular than offline media since the result showed that a guidebook, newspaper, or magazine only accounted for 6% and 7.25%, respectively.
Table 4.8 Frequency and Percentage of Information Channel
Channel of Information Frequency Percentage Rank
Friend 141 35.25 1
Guidebook 24 6 8
Newspaper or magazine 29 7.25 5
Website 55 13.75 2
Travel Consultant 25 6.25 7
Travel Block 27 6.75 6
social media 35 8.75 4
Smartphone Application 46 11.5 3
Other - walk around that area 18 4.5 9
Total 400 100.0
5) Influencing factor
This information gathering collected the data from the tourist’s influencing factor in selecting the Thai full-service restaurant. Each customer identified the three most influencing factor. Therefore, the total data is presented with 1200 answers. According to table 4.9, the report revealed that the most influencing factor is the enjoying taste of Thai food represented, accounted for 15.8%, followed by the restaurant's cleanliness (11.75%) and fair value of money (12.58%). The least influence factor is a particular promotion, which is accounted for 2.75%.
Table 4.9 Frequency and Percentage of Influencing Factor in Selecting the Thai Full-service Restaurant
Influencing Factor in Selecting Thai Full-Service Restaurant
Frequency Percentage Rank
Enjoy the taste of Thai food 181 15.08 1
Cleanliness of the restaurant 151 12.58 2
Good value of money 141 11.75 3
Convenience location 130 10.83 4
Variety of choice 114 9.50 5
Beautiful decorating of the restaurant 96 8.00 6
Speed of service 93 7.75 7
The overall atmosphere of the
restaurant 90 7.50 8
Manner and professional of service
staff 75 6.25 9
Availability of information online 49 4.08 10
Word of mouth 45 3.75 11
Special promotion of the restaurant 33 2.75 12
Other 2 0.17 13
Total 1200 100
6) Motivating factor
Each customer selected the best three alternatives to describe their motivating factor of visiting Thai full-service restaurants; the total amount presented was 1,200 answers. According to table 4.10, the study revealed that the most motivating factor in vising Thai full-service restaurants was experiencing Thai food accounted for 29.17 %, fulfilling the hunger for 25.25 %, and socializing with friends for 17.92%.
Table 4.10 Frequency and Percentage of Motivating Factor to Visit Thai Full-Service Restaurant
Motivating Factor Frequency Percentage Rank
Experiencing Thai food 350 29.17 1
Fulfilling the hunger 303 25.25 2
Socializing with a friend and other 215 17.92 3
Relaxing 204 17.00 4
Presenting the social status 124 10.33 5
other 4 0.33 6
Total 1200 100
7) Customer Spending per meal
Among four hundreds of respondents, customer revealed that they spend money for their meal around 655 Baht per meal, then considered in range, the study has found that the most customer’s spending range is around 500-599 Baht per meal, which represented 24.5% followed by the range of 1000 Baht and above per meal, accounted for 22.75% (Table 4.11).
Table 4.11 Frequency and Percentage of Customer Spending at Thai Full-Service Restaurant
Customer Spending
Range Per Meal (Thai Bath) Frequency Percentage Rank
500-599 Baht 98 24.50 1
1000 Baht and above 91 22.75 2
100-199 Baht 60 15.00 3
200-299 Baht 57 14.25 4
300-399 Baht 36 9.00 5
400-499 Baht 35 8.75 6
600-699 Baht 12 3.00 7
700-799 Baht 4 1.00 9
800-899 Baht 7 1.75 8
900-999 Baht 0 0.00 10
Total 400 100
8) Behavior after foodservice consumption
After the meal, the customer may have different experiences toward the restaurant, which lead to different behavior. From this study, four hundred respondents revealed that they were inclined to recommend to the others for 54.3%
after the food and service consumption and may return on another occasion for 40.3%. However, only 5.5% would complain about the experience that they received (Table. 4.12).
Table 4.12 Frequency and Percentage of Customer’s Behavior after Foodservice Consumption
Behavior after the Food Service Consumption
Frequency Percentage
return later 161 40.25
complain 22 5.50
recommend 217 54.25
Behavior after the Food Service Consumption
Frequency Percentage
Total 400 100.0
9) Communication channel in sharing experience at the full-service restaurant
According to the Table 4.13: the data reveal that tourist chose to communicate their foodservice consumption experience with other through directly inform other the most, accounting for 48%, followed by social media by 31%, share information through a travel website for 15% and lastly tourist shared information through other channels for 6%.
Table 4.13 Frequency and Percentage of the Communication Channel that Customer Chooses to Share their Foodservice Experience with Other
Communication Channel Frequency Percentage
Directly inform other 192 48.0
Travel website 60 15.0
social media 124 31.0
other 24 6.0
Total 400 100.0
4.1.4 Descriptive Statistic Result on Important Levels of Experience Touchpoint Along the Customer Journey
Four hundred sets of the questionnaire were collected from the international tourist who has experience visiting and consuming the food and service at Thai full- service restaurant. This section investigates the tourist perspective about the important level of each experience touchpoint along the customer journey. The five-level evaluation was used to investigate. These 5 levels of evaluation started from “very important,” important, somewhat important, not essential and, not very important. To describe the variable in this study, the mean score's interpretation was determined as appear in table 4.13.
Table 4.14 Measurement Scale of Each Important Level
Measurement scales Scores
Not very important 1.00-1.80
Very important 1.81-2.60
Somewhat important 2.61-3.40
Important 3.41-4.20
Very important 4.21-5.00
Table 4.15 The Important Level of Each Stage Along the Customer Journey
This data collection was established along the customer journey of international tourists visiting Thai full-service restaurants as appear in table 4.14. the data presented started from pre-arriving to the restaurant, arriving at the restaurant, menu presenting and food ordering, enjoying food and beverage, and the last stage is the billing and customer leaving. The result of the survey indicated that all that stage is at an important level. Especially at the stage “enjoying food and beverage” showed the most important level with the mean score of 3.96, followed by the menu presenting and food ordering and billing with the mean score of 3.86 and 3.73, respectively. The least important stage of the whole customer journey was when a customer arrived at the restaurant with a mean score of 3.51 (Table 4.14).
The Important Level of Each Stage Along the Customer Journey
Level of Opinion 𝑋 S.D. Level of
Evaluation
Rank
Enjoying food and beverage 3.96 .604 Important 1
Menu presenting and food ordering 3.85 .681 Important 2 Billing and customer leaving 3.72 .698 Important 3
Entering to the restaurant 3.71 .608 Important 4
Pre-Arriving to the restaurant 3.61 .652 Important 5
Arriving at the restaurant 3.50 .708 Important 6
According to table 4.15, the data of the pre-arriving stage stated that the touchpoint that customers perceived is the most important is “availability of restaurant location on navigation application” (𝑋 = 3.92, 34.5. %), the next highest mean score was “Ease of access to the restaurant,” with the mean score of 3.88, which accounted for 36.5.% followed by “ease of access to the restaurant information” (𝑋 = 3.76, 34.5%), “availability of information online” ( 𝑋 =3.67, 38.80 %), “availability of online /application booking” ( 𝑋 = 3.53, 32.5. % and the least important according to the customer’s perspective was the “availability of information offline” ( 𝑋 = 3.36, 36 %).
Once the customer has arrived at the restaurant, the collected data at table 4.16 specified that the customer experience touchpoint that showed the highest mean score is the “greeting of the host staff,” accounted for 3.79 (Important level 40.5%, very important level 24%), followed by “waiting time for the table was showed at the level important with the mean score of 3.70 and “decoration at the waiting area” (𝑋 = 3.49, 37.8%). Meanwhile, the least important for this group of customer who was the international tourist was the parking space which represented the mean score of 3.16 with the meaning of somewhat important (35 %).
The next stage was when the customer was entering the dining area.
According to table 4.17, the highest mean score of the important level felled to “the cleanliness of the dining area 𝑋 = 4. 050 (Very Important level for 44.3 %), then follow by “airflow” and “temperature of the dining area” with the mean score of 3.86 and 3.84, respectively. While the “decoration of the dining area” seemed to have the least important score of 3.53. the other touchpoint is represented in the middle range, such as “scent (𝑋 = 3. 7950), “lighting” (𝑋 = 3. 6825), “other customer which account for (𝑋 = 3.5550) and “Furniture “ with a mean score at 3.5525.
After the customer had settled at the dining area, next was the stage of menu presenting and ordering, according to table 4.18. At this stage, the mean score fall to the second rank with the mean score at 3. 8572. The touchpoint that presents the highest mean score is the “food and beverage price” (𝑋=4.06, 31.3%). Followed by
“cleanliness of the service staff” (𝑋=4.01, 36%) and communication skill of service
staff (𝑋=3.97, 33.5%) but the least important to a customer was “the promotion campaign at the restaurant” with a mean of 3.50.
After ordering a meal, the next stage was the customer enjoying food and beverage. This was the most important stage of all (𝑋=3.96). Table 4.19 indicated that this stage's touchpoint generally had a higher mean score than the other stage. The most important touchpoint that customer give the highest mean score is the
“Cleanliness of the food and beverage” (𝑋=4. 25, 53.8%), “Freshness of food and beverage” (𝑋=4. 22, 49.8%), both touchpoints represent the meaning of very important. Next level was the important level. The touchpoint component is the Authenticity of food and beverage 4.07, 33.8%, and Taste of food and beverage (𝑋=
4.03, 49.3%). The least mean score of this stage was “Decoration item on the table”
with a mean score of 3.47)
The last stage of the customer journey was the billing and customer leaving the restaurant. The result in Table 4.20 indicated that “responsiveness of the staff”
(𝑋=3.95,, 33.3 % ) follow by the “correction of the bill” (𝑋=3.87,, 33.3 % ), “method of paymet” (𝑋=3.70, 36.5 % ), “The speed of the billing process” (𝑋=3.63,, 35.8 %.
Lastly, the least important of the touchpoint in the final stage before leaving the restaurant was the “Loyalty program” ( 𝑋=3.46, 33.3 %).
93 Table 4.16 The Mean Score and Frequency of Importance Level of Customer Experience Touch Point During Pre-Arrival Stage at Thai
Full-Service Restaurant Pre-arriving Stage at the
Restaurant
Mean S.D. Very
Important
Important Somewhat Important
Not Important
Not Very Important
Frequency Percentage Frequency Percentage Frequency Percentage Frequency Percentage Frequency Percentage
1. Availability of information online 3.67 .926 77 19.3 155 38.8 136 34.0 23 5.8 9 2.3
2. Availability of information offline 3.36 .888 33 8.3 144 36 173 43.3 36 9 14 3.5
3. Ease of access to the restaurant information
3.76 1.02 113 28.3 132 33 110 27.5 37 9.3 8 2
4. Availability of online /application booking
3.53 1.13 89 22.3 130 32.5 112 28 44 11 25 6.3
5. Availability of restaurant location on GPS
3.92 .978 135 33.8 138 34.5 93 23.3 30 7.5 4 1
6. Ease of access to the restaurant 3.88 .934 118 29.5 143 36.5 111 27.8 20 5 5 1.3
94 Table 4.17 The Mean Score and Frequency of Importance Level of Customer Experience Touch Point During Arriving Stage at Thai
Full Service Restaurant
Arriving Stage at the Restaurant
Mean S.D. Very Important
Important Somewhat Important
Not Important Not Very Important
Frequency Percentage Frequency Percentage Frequency Percentage Frequency Percentage Frequency Percentage
1. Parking Space 3.16 1.18 58 14.5 98 24.5 140 35 58 24.5 48 14.5
2. Exterior Decoration 3.39 .920 36 9 157 39.3 152 38 40 10 15 3.8
3. Decoration of the waiting area
3.49 .986 57 14.3 151 37.8 143 35.8 30 7.5 19 4.8
4. Greeting of the host staff
3.78 .932 96 24 162 40.5 108 27 29 7.3 5 1.3
5. Waiting time for the table
3.70 1.05 101 25.3 144 36 103 25.8 39 9.8 13 3.3